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The song, Keep on Pushing, was written by Curtis Mayfield and originally recorded by the R&B group The Impressions. It was released in 1964. It is a song about perseverance and finding strength to get through tough times.

This song took on a new meaning for Mayfield after he was paralyzed in 1990 when a light tower fell on him during an outdoor performance in Brooklyn. In a 1997 interview, Mayfield said, “I think my spirits are maybe even higher,” It’s like I died and woke up to see this wave of love from so many people I knew and people I didn’t know.”

Kirk Whalum brings a jazz version of the song. I hope it encourages those who need a lift-up.

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This was a special week for me. Saturday, I received a gift of a dozen Georgetown cupcakes from a dear friend who lives in another state. Sunday came a gift of Godiva dark chocolates. Monday was a dinner of grilled burgers smothered with onions. Yesterday was a cake with fresh strawberries in the center. Thursday, another dear friend is coming from out of town to take me to lunch.

So, I was moaning and complaining that I’ll have to diet after all of this. My son began teasing me with the following song.

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Rich Hall brought black and white together during the height of the Civil Rights movement, and he did it by creating music that we still hear today. He did it in Sheffield, AL, in Muscle Shoals Studio along the Tennessee River.

According to history passed down through the generations, when a Native American named Te-lah-nay was born, her grandmother placed her umbilical cord in the Tennessee River, making the river her sister. Te-lah-nay was displaced during the Trail of Tears which forced the relocation of Native Americans from the Southeast to Oklahoma following the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Te-lah-nay spent 5 years walking back to Tennessee River. There is now a wall in that area, recorded in the Library of Congress to commemorate Te-lah-nay’s walk. It’s called the Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall.

The Yuchi tribe called the river “nunnuhsaw” which means the singing river. They believed a woman resided in the waters, guiding them with her melodies.

Musicians recording in Muscle Shoals have long proclaimed the mystical inspiration from the Tennessee River. Even if one does not believe in mystical inspiration, one cannot deny the musical impact created along the shores of the Tennessee River. Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger, Percy Sledge, Gregg Allman, Clarence Carter, Etta James, Cher, Wilson Pickett, and Alabama all recorded in the Muscle Shoals studio, sometimes with nothing more than a verse of song. When the musicians started to play, the song came together. Read the rest of this entry →

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Caterpillars, moths, butterflies, a certain roach, and all creatures great and small,

Thus far, this has been a tough month for me. Last week, I went to the dentist and had a bad reaction to the Novocain. It’s the first time I’ve had such a reaction. Along with breaking out in a red rash, I had stomach pains and dizziness. This is happening while my last blood test results are that I’m anemic, and because of a combination of other problems, my doctor wants other tests.

I feel lousy. It’s not getting through one day at a time, but one hour at a time. What I would love spending my time doing is blogging, cleaning out my flower beds, getting the guy over to clean the furnace and check the central air before I need to turn it on – stuff like that. But, I’m sleeping – A LOT! I’m awake for an hour, sleep for 4 hours, wake up, fight going back to sleep to doze off again and it repeats itself. I see my doctor next week.

As always, I hold on to faith, hope and love. Forgive me for not being as active is usual.

I came upon the following quote and hope that it lifts those who can use a lift.